We Are Not Immune to Each Other
by Emilie Mae
Summary: Cophine AU: Cosima is in her fourth year of college when she meets the tall, blonde graduate student that teaches her immunology lab. Without any hesitation, she is enchanted by the beautiful French woman, Delphine. They soon realize that neither is immune to the other.
1. Immunology

Authors Note: This is my first fanfiction. Please tell me what you think. I obviously do not own OB or any of the characters. Please enjoy. This will be a long, multi-chapter story. I will write no matter how many reviews I get, but reviews will certainly speed up my writing! This is rated M for future chapters. 

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Cosima stepped into the lecture hall without a moment to spare. Her dread tapped against her back as she halted and scanned the room for an open seat. The professor had just started talking, but instead of slipping into the back row she walked along the back of the hall and down the side to sit in the corner front row seat which had been left open. Quickly taking out her pen and notebook, she dated the page and listened intently to the professor.

"Welcome to BIOB 410 Immunology also known as MICB 410," the auburn haired woman stated as she leaned back against the desk. "My name is Professor Harken. I work at the local laboratory studying diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease. I will be teaching the lecture portion of your class. There is also a lab portion which will be taught by current graduate students. Be sure not to miss any lectures or labs. They work hand in hand, and are an important part of your learning. Now-," she paused to pick up a large stack of papers on her desk. She pushed off the desk and handed the papers to a curly haired blonde who was standing off to the side. Cosima hadn't even noticed her until she started walking to the side of the lecture hall. She carefully walked up the steps and handed a portion of the stack to the person on the end of each row. The dreadlocked woman started to lean back and slouch in her chair to peer at the tall, leggy blonde. She noted her tall, heeled boots, and skinny jeans, but she jerked back forward when the professor started talking. Leaning over her desk, she rested her elbows on the table and her head in her palms.

"- Miss Cormier is handing out a basic lecture schedule which includes a chart on grading. Read it carefully as we will not be going over much of it in class."

Cosima nodded to the girl next to her as she was handed the stack of papers. She took one for herself and set it in her notebook then put the rest to the side. The professor continued to talk and go over what the lectures would cover, so Cosima took short notes to make sure to be early to class unlike she was today.

"Pardon," said a soft voice. Cosima jerked her head to the side to see Miss Cormier reaching for the stack of leftover papers her elbow was resting on. She quickly lifted her elbow and re-adjusted her seating position. Her heart pounded in her throat as her brain processed that the woman had just spoken French. She was pretty sure her brain had just melted into mush as that one word.

"Oh. Sorry, sorry. Yeah, here," she whispered in a fluster as she made sure they got into the taller girl's hands. Their fingers brushed, and Cosima was sure she was going to become a puddle right there. She looked down just as the French woman smiled warmly at her and whispered a quick "merci". Then she walked up to the desk and set the papers down. Straightening up, she went and stood next to Professor Harken. The professor turned toward her student teacher and motioned wordlessly before continuing.

"Miss Cormier is a graduate student here and will be assisting in the lecture, and she will also be teaching the BIOB 411 Immunology Lab if that is the lab you have chosen to go along with the lecture. Go ahead and introduce yourself," the Professor said with a nod to the graduate student.

"Hello," she said with an obvious French accent. "I am Delphine Cormier, and, as Professor Harken said, I am a graduate student who currently has an internship in the immunology field. I work with Harken at the lab assisting in the study of diseases that affect the surrounding area. Feel free to call me Delphine. Miss Cormier is quite formal. I have office hours which are listed on the handout. You may stop by or make an appointment to see me ahead of time if you need help with anything. I look forward to, uh, well, helping you all expand your knowledge in this great field. I hope you enjoy immunology as much as me."

Cosima watched Delphine intently and leaned over her table. The way she moved her hands with her words had the brunette entranced. The passion behind Miss Cormier's words was not lost on Cosima, as she studied the graduate student's lips. She noted the way Delphine's lips stayed slightly parted during pauses. Thankfully, the rest of the class went smoothly with Cosima only getting lost in Delphine's mannerisms a couple of times. As the class ended, and everyone gathered there stuff to leave, she left her belongings in her chair and approached her professor.

"I'm Cosima," she said while holding her hand out. "I just wanted to introduce myself. You'll probably see me during office hours at some point, and I thought why not go ahead and say hi now."

"Well, Cosima," Professor Harken spoke while taking her hand warmly, "Thank you. I hope you enjoy my lectures."

The professor smiled curtly then turned to another student which was standing next to Cosima and started to answer his question. The brunette nodded quickly with a smile then stepped to the side and looked over at the blonde graduate student. Delphine had her hands at her waist and was arching her back as she looked around the room. She didn't notice Cosima right away, so the brunette took the time to glance over her with what she convinced herself was a purely scientific curiosity. When Delphine finally spotted Cosima, she smiled and turned her body toward the glasses wearing girl.

"Hello," she said. Her French accent was obvious, and it made Cosima's mind blank just long enough for her words not to come out right.

"Oh. Oh! Um. Hey. I'm Cosima. I thought I would introduce myself. You'll probably see me during office hours," she spoke with a slight head shake and small wave to break herself from being caught in Delphine's gaze.

"Enchanté, Cosima. I am Delphine." A warm smile met both their lips.

"Enchanté," she replied in a thick American accent. "And, uh, you- I can come see you during office hours if needed? I believe you're- you're also teaching my lab portion."

"Ah," Delphine smiled and nodded her head enthusiatically, "We will get to know each other well then, yes?"

"Uh huh. Well, I, I should be going to my next class."

"Oh yes. Don't be late."

Cosima started to turn then felt a smile tug at her cheeks, and she turned her head back to look at Delphine.

"Yeah… Kinda always late. Kinda always sorry."

The French girl laughed breathily and placed her hand on her stomach.

"You are, how do they say? Very, uh, cheeky, yes?" She placed her fingers over her mouth when she smiled, and the smaller woman couldn't help but let her lips part slightly while entranced in Delphine's subtle movements.

"I guess you could say that." Cosima said with a throaty laugh, "Well. I'm off. I will see you… later?"

"Oui!" Delphine said excitedly as she waved while Cosima walked off.

The brunette walked back to where she was sitting and gathered her belongings into her bag. Then she hurried out of the room to her next class. Delphine had watched her out of the corner of her eye as she exited the room. Once the girl left, she shook her head slowly in amusement. Cosima was certainly an intriguing woman.


	2. Consumed

Author's Note: Hey there! Thanks for all the positive feedback. It's positively exciting for me. As this fic goes on, you may notice that writing style has changed. Try not to be too alarmed! I'm actually recovering from a concussion (or possibly more). I have an MRI on Monday and then I may have to see a neurologist. I probably shouldn't be writing, but I can't keep away. So basically everything you've read so far and will read now is coming from the brain of someone who has been in the ER three times for hitting their head. For that, I apologize if anything is jumbled or doesn't appear quite right.

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The first week of classes went by like a whirlwind for Cosima. Tuesday classes consisted of Analytic Chemistry-Quantitative Analysis and her Advanced Undergraduate Research formal class. Wednesday was the same as Monday. Immunology was first then two general electives after that were required for her to graduate. In Immunology, she spent the majority of her time staring at Delphine while haphazardly writing notes on what the professor was talking about. Cosima was a scientist through and through, and Delphine had captured her mind. So she found herself carefully observing the enchanting blonde's behaviors. She noted the way she would bite her lip while thinking and put her hands on her waist to lean her shoulders back. She noticed that often the blonde's lips would be slightly parted as she watched the class with a sparkle in her eyes. When it was time for her to speak, her face would light up, and this made the brunette's heart start beating just a tiny bit faster. Then there was the way her hands moved about to match the pace of her speech and the way she would lean against the wall with her hips forward. All of Delphine the dreadlocked girl found absolutely enthralling. Every movement, every word, and every look in her eyes. It all captured Cosima's mind in a whirlwind of awe.

As the class finished up, Cosima found herself giving a longing glance to Delphine, but the moment the French woman's eyes met hers Cosima found her eyes darting down to her bag and gathering her things to make a casual exit. Although, there was nothing casual about the way the brunette watched the blonde. Her eyes were filled with a desire that she had yet to question, but surely the thought would come up. What was it about Delphine that captured her in so little time? Instead of thinking about reading assignments and lab experiments, she often found herself often thinking about curly, blonde hair and pink parted lips. All Cosima wanted to do was speak to Delphine and get to know her mind, but she was waiting for the class to get on its way before dropping by during office hours. It took all the willpower to restrain herself from going to see the alluring French woman, but as the seconds ticked by she could feel that power slipping away from her.

Thursday came without a hitch, but Friday was the day that her mind returned to one thought: Delphine. There was only one class on her schedule, Immunology Lab, and that class was taught by none other than the beautiful Delphine Cormier. Cosima wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a curse to know she would be in the presence of such beauty for three days a week. But either way, she was still late to class, as usual, so she had to take a quick seat at the closest lab table as the blonde had started to speak.

"I'm sure many of you already know me. I am Delphine Cormier, and I am the graduate student who will be guiding you during your lab. Each week you will get a handout for the following week's lab. Many labs require you to come in earlier in the week to make preparations for what we will be doing during class. In most cases, during class we will be finishing up the lab and making final observations and taking final notes, so you may complete your reports. There is a list near the door of when the lab is open and available for students to use. In the event of a conflict, please do not hesitate to speak with me. I know many of you have quite busy schedules, but that is no excuse not do a lab. I will be happy to assist in making sure you get time in the lab. Well, let us get started!"

Delphine clasped her hands together with a cheeky smile spread over her face. She picked up a stack of handouts, and she gave them to the nearest student to pass down the lines.

"Today, we will mainly take the time to get familiar with the layout of the lab. So please, take a look around and take a peek at the handout. It would be wise to check the lab times during class. If you have any questions about the locations of equipment, do not be shy. I am sure we will all have a wonderful time this semester! I hope you all find immunology as fascinating as me. Well, I will let you all get to looking around."

Cosima started to go over the handout. She figured there was time to look around the lab later, and she should get an idea of what kind of labs they were going to be doing. With an occasional glance toward the instructor, she finished up her reading then went to the lab availability list. Other students were already surrounding it, so she had to squeeze through to take a look. As she scanned the available times and compared them to her schedule, she whispered, "Shit." All the available time slots were during classes or time she had already set aside for her Undergraduate Research. She pushed her glasses farther up onto the bridge of her nose then looked over toward Delphine. She was standing at the front of the laboratory watching the students walk around to look at the different scientific instruments. Cosima inhaled slowly then made her way over to the French woman. The blonde straightened up when she saw her dreadlocked student and smiled . "Do you have une question?" After a moment, she realized that she had reverted back to French, and she quickly amended her words by adding "a question" on the end. Cosima's hands clasped together at her words, and started to twist and turn in front of her.

"Um, yes I do," she started. "It- my schedule is a little packed. I'm in the Undergraduate Research program, so when I checked to see when this lab was available this lab it- well, I noticed that there we no openings during my available times."

The words rushed out of Cosima's mouth at the same speed her hands were moving in front of her. She partially expected to get a confused look at her antics, but instead Delphine just smiled and nodded occasionally. When the brunette finished speaking, her instructor asked her if she had a copy of her schedule. Cosima nodded and smiled up at her.

"Uh, is that it?" the French woman asked with a motion to the paper in the other woman's hand.

"Oh yeah," she responded quickly with a nod of her head.

"May I…?" She reached out toward the paper.

"Yeah, of course."

Delphine took the paper and started to make her way over to the posted lab schedule. "Well… Cosima was it? We shall see what we can do." She started to compare the times on both schedules. Her lips pressed together then slowly parted, and Cosima found herself entranced. "Uh, huh" was the only response she could manage to the blonde's question. She started to glance down to the woman's neck. She was wearing a jacket, but her top under the jacket fell loosely over her chest. Cosima swallowed hard and took a tentative glance over, but when Delphine turned around she looked up quickly.

"Well, it appears there is no way to get you into this lab. I could talk to my supervising professor and see if you would be able to use the graduate lab. I would probably have to oversee though. Why do not I speak with my professor, Mr. Pelly, today, and you can stop by my office during office hours on Monday? I am sure he will be fine with it, so we will need to compare schedules and set up a time," Delphine spoke while handing her student's schedule back.

"Okay, yeah, that sounds awesome," Cosima said with a cheeky grin and an assured nod.

With a somewhat awkward thank you and goodbye, the dreadlocked science geek made it back to her seat then made her way around the lab. She spoke to a couple of the other students then she sat back down to make notes on what she would have to do to prepare for the following week's lab. The class came to a close without any issues. Delphine wished everyone a nice weekend, and Cosima resisted the urge to go speak to her again. Keeping her desires in check, she exited the room and made her way to her apartment.

Her apartment wasn't that far from campus, so often she walked instead of taking the bus. She found the walk to be calming, but recently her mind could not stop thinking on these daily walks. Her brain was consumed with thoughts of Delphine. Today, the thoughts raced to being alone in a lab with her. Cosima was hoping to learn more about her as they spent time in the lab. From the lecture classes, she already knew what a brilliant mind the French woman had, and Cosima found herself consumed by thoughts of Delphine the same way Delphine appeared consumed by passion for her subject. That passion just seemed to transfer over to Cosima. There was no getting the blonde out of her mind, but she wasn't sure she wanted to.


	3. Cheeky

Author's Note: I'm rather impatient. I should be healing my brain, but instead I'm writing Cophine. Pretty much my life revolves around OB right now. I just bought a The Clash (London Calling) shirt that's very, very similar to Sarah's. Why? Um. The Clash rock (Train in Vain is my favorite), I rock (unlike Beth), and I wish I was Sarah (or maybe have Tatiana's face in general). If you dig what I'm writing, or maybe you just think I'm chill, you should write a review! That way I know how it's going for all of you! Also, it took me a bit to write this because I couldn't decide if I liked certain parts. Hmm… 

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Everything around her felt surreal. One minute there were fingers grazing her hip. The next moment teeth were nipping her collar bone. The woman was everywhere at once, yet it felt like she was just barely scratching the surface. Backs arched until bare breasts touched. While breathing hitched and hearts beat so fast they were bound to break. As the feather-light touches continued, they grew into soft scratches along her sides. The fingers traced down her body and stopped just above her navel as kisses met below and traveled their way down. She could feel a guttural moan growing in her throat, but just as she was about to release it Cosima found herself staring into darkness with only her heavy breathing filling the air. Her eyes slowly opened to find herself in her room, alone, with light filtering in through the blinds. She lifted her hands from where the rested, one on her pubic bone and one on her stomach, and pushed the blankets off of her. When she sat up, she didn't even have to question who her dream was about. She already knew the answer because only one person could envelope her mind so fully, and that was Delphine.

The weekend had been a whirlwind of pot, wine, and being dragged out to bars by her friends. She barely had any time to think. The constant distractions were a blessing because when she wasn't busy her mind was an almost continuous stream of Delphine, but when she was alone in her small studio apartment it was harder to keep her mind occupied.

The apartment had been melded into the perfect space for Cosima's interests. The kitchen was simple, but the dining area had a desk and book shelves that melted way into the living area. Her apartment practically looked like a library, but all of the books related to science in one way or another. Most of them focused on biology, but there were other subjects thrown in for good measure. Her bedroom had double doors, and the entire space was set in dark, rich colors to give off an air of relaxation. Sometimes she went to the library to study, but more often than not she found herself sitting at her desk or relaxing in bed. It was her perfect retreat, but right now it felt more like a distraction. With her recent dreams, even looking at her bed made her heart rate pick up from the association, but today was Monday. That meant immunology first thing, and it also meant seeing Delphine.

For one of the first times in a while, Cosima got to class early. She sat down front and center and took out her notebook. The professor and Delphine entered the lecture hall and were making idle chit-chat when the French woman excused herself and made her way over to the petite brunette.

"Hello, Cosima. I just wanted to make sure you were still coming to my office hours, oui?" Her accent made the words melt smoothly over her tongue. Cosima looked up and nodded her head quickly. Her eyebrows quirked and responded swiftly that she would definitely be by during office hours. The blonde nodded in affirmation and said she would see Cosima then. Students were streaming into class, so the graduate student had to prepare her notes. Professor Harken told the class that today Delphine, "Miss Cormier", would be leading the lecture. The announcement made Cosima straighten up and grip her pen just a little bit tighter. Not only was she enchanted with the blonde's physique, but her mind was absolutely captivating. The way she talked about hypersensitivities like it was the most fascinating subject on the planet had Cosima completely enthralled. For some reason, Delphine could even make lymph nodes sound like the most amazing, sexy part of a human body. It was that intensity and exuberance that truly kept her wanting more. More lectures. More labs. More French. More Delphine. 

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Cosima could not get to office hours sooner. She rushed out of her final class to make her way to the main biology building. After entering, she quickly scanned down the list of offices to find where Delphine's office was. "324 B" was the winner. She made her way up to the third floor then scanned office numbers. She came to a sign stating "Offices 324 A-D" and peered inside the entry. She first spotted a man in a cubical-like office going over some paperwork. Then she turned her head to look in the other direction to spot Delphine hard at work. No other students had arrived, so Cosima had her all to herself. She was typing intently on her computer as the brunette approached.

"Uh… Delphine?" Cosima said as she took her bag off her shoulder. The French woman stopped her typing and looked over her shoulder then quickly stood up. She extended her hand and said, "Bonjour Cosima."

The dreadlocked girl moved her bag to her other hand awkwardly then took her teacher's hand in hers. She studied the woman's face for a moment then glanced down at their hands as she let go. Her cheeks pulled up into a smile, and her head tilted to the side slightly as she gazed up at the person standing before her. She watched the way her lips moved when she talked as well as observed her hands moving in unison with her words.

"Cosima?" Delphine asked as she waved her hand in front of the girl's face. The brunette wasn't exactly sure how long she'd been standing there just staring at the gorgeous woman, but it was apparently long enough to miss some conversation.

"Shit," she whispered absentmindedly.

"Pardon?"

When Cosima realized she had spoken aloud, her hands started to move wildly in front of her as she explained, "No, ah, sorry! I was- I must have zoned out. Can you, um, can you repeat, please?" The last word out of her mouth came out meekly with a small shrug. "I promise to pay attention this time. Cross my heart." She made an "x" over her heart and grinned up at the taller woman.

Delphine shook her head with a smile and said, "I hope you pay more attention in my class!"

"Oh- yes, it's my favorite class! I-"

"Cosima." The girl kept trying to talk until another "Cosima" made her quiet up.

"Yes? Um… what is it?"

"You do not need to explain to me. I was just attempting to make a joke. Apparently I should stay with Français, oui? Sans blague, I spoke with Mr. Pelly. You are free to use the graduate lab provided I or another graduate student is available should anything happen. I am one hundred percent willing to assist in any way necessary. You are a bright student, Cosima. I can see the way you pay attention in lecture, and I would hate for you to have to switch classes. Are there certain days that work better for you? I would think you'd want to schedule a weekly time, yes? For me, any time during office hours would be preferable."

"I have no idea what that French part was, but that sounds awesome- amazing. I think Tuesdays during your, uh, office hours would be good. I have fewer classes, and if for some reason I don't finish up I could schedule another time later in the week with you. You know, if that's okay."

"Oui, yes, that sounds ideal," she hesitated for a fraction of a second. "I think it would be to both our benefits if we exchanged numbers. That way, if some unforeseen circumstances come up, the other will know."

"Oh yeah, ditto. Um. Let me just- do you have a pen and paper?"

Delphine twisted to the side slightly and took a pad of sticky notes and a pen off her desk. She handed them to Cosima to write down her number on. The brunette haphazardly raised one leg and used her thigh to quickly scribble her name and number down. Then she handed the sticky notes and pen back. The French woman read over the writing. Her lips twitched and the name "Cosima Niehaus" rolled off of her tongue.

"I will be sending you a text message, so that you will have my number also," she said when she looked back up at the dreadlocked student who was now lacing her fingers together.

"I'll be waiting, uh, for the lab time. I'm mad excited about our first lab."

"Your enthusiasm is refreshing. My hope is for all students to be as well-rounded as you."

"Well-rounded?" Cosima asked before thinking.

"Ah, yes, you are quite well-rounded. You are intelligent, compassionate, and cheeky."

A laugh rose in the brunette's throat. "I'm cheeky?" she asked. The blonde responded with a laugh of her own.

"Quite. It is," it took Delphine a moment to find the right word, "amusing."

The corners of her lips turned up into a small smile then her lower jaw shifted to the side as she began to talk. "Well, uh, I'll see you tomorrow then." Cosima waved awkwardly then grabbed her bag and exited the room. 

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Author's Note: This chapter was intended to be longer, but I wanted to get something up for you guys. I'll hopefully be updating more frequently as my head is starting to feel better. (I also really want to get to actual Cophine love.)


	4. Arrêtez!

A/N: I may be a biology major, but I have never taken an immunology course. I don't like to make assumptions, so I'm going to keep the actual science fairly vague. I don't like to be wrong. Plus, what are we really here for science or science girlfriends, eh? Also, I changed my pen name from "Jandee" To "Emilie Mae" in celebration of my name change which should be made official tomorrow (hopefully).

As Tuesday rolled around, Cosima found that office hours came faster than expected. At the start of the day, she had expected to be impatiently waiting, but her busy schedule (and the fact she was perpetually late) meant there wasn't much time to sit around bored. After her classes came to a close, she met up with Delphine in her office. She then followed her through the corridors down to the lab. She hadn't been paying that much attention to where she was following the woman. Cosima was sure that next Tuesday she would need Delphine to show her where the lab was again. The graduate student had left a written note on her desk to let other students know where she was.

"I will be assisting you today as I want to make sure you know everything that's in the lab," she said as she opened the door into the lab entryway. Hanging in the small hall were lab coats and other supplies to keep experiments from becoming contaminated. Delphine took off her coat then started to put on a lab coat. Swallowing hard, Cosima noticed how the woman's shirt dipped down just enough to show her cleavage. She pushed her glasses up on her nose a bit then took a coat for herself – followed by gloves. The French student quickly went over the basic lab procedures and rules that were on a wall placard.

"All ready?" Delphine asked with a warm smile when she finished.

"Mmhmm," the dreadlocked student said with a nod.

The pair walked through the next door and into the lab. Cosima took a deep breath as air hit her face. The air had that familiar sanitized smell that she had come to associate with laboratories. The smell was both comforting and exhilarating. Even her heart started to pound a little faster at the idea of being able to work on her immunology lab. Or maybe it was because Delphine decided to stand awfully close to her in order to speak and not disturb the man that was stationed at a microscope a few yards away.

"Cosima," she said softly. "Would you like me to show you around the lab before we get started?"

"I'd like that," she said with a small shudder at the feel of Delphine's breath against her bare neck.

The graduate student took her time showing Cosima around the lab. During their conversing, the brunette would occasionally start excitedly rambling about the history of certain pieces of equipment and there use in the lab. The blonde found this enthralling and often matched Cosima's level of exuberance. Then the dreadlocked girl started to get to work. The lab was basic, and the main purpose of it was to introduce the students to the different equipment they would be using throughout the semester. It was always good for one to be comfortable with their equipment and know proper use. Delphine had decided to stay and observed her student. As her office hours came to a close, she made a point of continuing talking to the brunette. Throughout the last hour, they had been chatting occasionally and made some jokes, but as their time came to a close neither one wanted to stop talking to one another even after the brunette student had already cleaned up her station.

"Okay, okay, I have one," Cosima said as she thought up a joke. "What did the zero say to the eight?"

"I do not know, what?" the blonde asked.

"Nice belt!" she said as her wide smile turned into a grin. Delphine thought for a moment then started laughing and put her hands over her face.

"Wait, wait," she said putting a finger up to stop her own laughing more so than stop Cosima from doing anything. "Why do chemists prefer nitrates? They are cheaper than day rates!"

"Oh my god." She laughed with a familiar scratchiness. "I can't believe you just- wow. That was good, Delphine."

The pair nodded and tried to stop from laughing. Delphine reached over and put her hand on Cosima's when her laughing ceased.

"We need to stop laughing, I have to go TA another class. I cannot be late." As she said this, another laugh escaped her chest at the sight of Cosima's bright red, still laughing face.

"I will, I will, just give me, give me a moment," she said as she inhaled deeply to calm herself. Just as she was about to stop laughing, Delphine burst out in another fit of laughter. "W-What?!" the brunette asked as she found herself doing the exact same thing as the French woman.

"I am – quite – quite sorry," she said between laughs. "I just – your face –" She stopped at the sight of the brunette doubling over in laughter. "Arrêtez! Arrêtez! I cannot take it, Cosima!" She reached over and put her hand on the dreadlocked student's shoulder. "Please get up, we must stop before I am late."

Cosima nodded and slowly uncurled herself and sat up straight. Delphine stood up and reached for her student's hand. Without hesitation, Cosima took it and the French woman helped lift her to her feet before letting go.

"I almost died of laughter, and you're worried about being late?" the brunette asked with a joking smile.

"Come on, you cheeky girl," Delphine said. As they started to make her exit, she stopped and turned to the younger student. "I- You are very intelligent and fun to be around. We should, maybe we could hang out after you are finished with classes one night?"

"I'd um, I'd really like that, Delphine. Uh. You have my number, so just… you can just call me or whatever," she said with a small smile to hide the nervous excitement bubbling in her chest.

"I will do just that," she said. "I had a wonderful time with you today in the lab." Bending down slightly, she touched her lips to each of Cosima's cheeks and made her way to class with a quick "farewell".

Thursday was the day Cosima's phone rang. Her heart leapt with the prospect, and she was not disappointed as a lightly accented "Cosima" came through on the other end.

"Delphine," she said.

She almost couldn't believe that the woman had called her. It was just after four, and the sun was still high. Cosima had gotten to her apartment not too much earlier, and she was sprawled out across her bed with textbooks open all around her. She had been going from one book to the other in order to drill the information into her head. Not only was she trying to study, but her laptop was up with several tabs of scientific journals open. Keeping up to date on scientific research in her future field of work was very important (despite her tendency to be late to class, she was very devoted to her work inside and outside the classroom).

"Uh, I was calling to see what you are doing tomorrow? I mean, would you like to do something tomorrow with me? We could go to a bar. Anywhere you know of really, if you want that is." Delphine's voice was hesitant as though she expected the girl to reject her offer.

"I-I would- yes. That sounds awesome. I know of a bar we can go to. They have a dance floor- if you like that sort of thing," she said probably quicker than she should have.

"Oui, oui, where should we meet? My last class- it gets out at five."

"Why don't we meet in the commons around five? We can maybe get some food then head downtown?" Her voice became more hesitant at the suggestion of dinner.

"That sounds perfect, Cosima. I will meet you then. You have my number if necessary."

"Okay, yeah, I will see you tomorrow."

"Salut," Delphine said and hung up the phone.

Cosima's heart was pounding at an uncomfortably fast pace as the line went dead. She held the phone against her chest for a minute then placed it down on her bed. With a soft squeal, she fell backwards against her pillow.

A/N: I would like to thank everyone who has favorited and followed my story. (48 followers!) I am both shocked and amazed. You all are absolutely wonderful. In case any of you are wondering, I still am having some issues from my concussion, but hopefully everything will be figured out. I have been writing during my free time (which seems short these days), but I am super exciting for the coming chapters! I hope you all are too!


	5. Mistake

A/N: I'm on a roll for writing. All your kind reviews are just making my heart sing and inspiring me. I hope you enjoy the latest edition as we get closer to the good stuff. -wink wink-

"Do you often come here?" Delphine asked.

Cosima had chosen a bar close to campus that she frequented (if only for it's proximity). She was sure she couldn't have picked a better place to bring Delphine. In the low lighting, the French woman's figure was perfectly accented. Her hair fell in curls to her shoulders, and her shimmery dress hugged every curve of her body. The brunette found herself desperately trying to keep her eyes off of her body and on her face. But, God, even her makeup was spectacular.

"Well, it's the closest one to my apartment, so it's the easiest to get to," she explained. The silence between the two was deafening even with the music blaring.

"Uh, how about a drink? To, um, relax?" Delphine offered. She grasped Cosima by the hand and tugged her carefully through the crowd to the bar. They both ordered up some red wine and sat on the bar stools. "How are you liking this semester?"

"Oh, it's been awesome. I have amazing classes, and some amazing teachers," the brunette said with a small nudge toward the blonde. Delphine chuckled softly then said, "Well, I have some amazing students. There is this one in particular who is extremely gifted."

"Really? Do I know her?" Cosima asked.

"It is you, you cheeky girl," she said with another nudge in her student's direction. Cosima nudged her back then got another nudge in return. "Do not make me spill my wine. You don't want to see what happens when a Frenchman spills her wine."

"Oooo. I'm so scared, Delphine," she said with feigned fright.

"Do not underestimate my love for wine." She lifted her glass and just as the glass met her lips, she placed her teeth against the rim and smiled at Cosima.

"I'll remember that," she said while also taking a sip from her glass.

"Can we dance? Or- would you like to dance?" Delphine asked as she pushed her glass wine away from the edge.

"Um, yeah, I would lov- like to do that," she said with a toothy grin as she downed the rest of her wine. "Let's hurry up before the wine hits my system."

This time, before Delphine could respond, Cosima took her hand and started to make their way to the dance floor. She released her grasp as they set foot on the floor. The beat was some electronic song that Cosima couldn't pinpoint the name of. She started to dance, and, as she turned to look at Delphine, she noticed the woman was precariously close to touching her while dancing. The French woman's hands traveled up her body and lifted her hair up slightly as she placed her hands over her head. As she did that, she stepped toward Cosima and slowly ran her hands back down her body as she moved to the music. At some point, the brunette had stopped dancing, so Delphine reached for her hands and said, "Dance with me, Cosima." She giggled and turned her back to her friend as she swayed to the music. While they danced, the brunette started to loosen up. She wasn't expecting Delphine to react this way to her, but she wasn't complaining. Already, she was considering their options for after the bar.

"Do you… maybe want to get out of here?" Cosima asked with her hand held to mouth as if whispering, but instead she was practically yelling through the music. Delphine's lips pursed together, and she nodded then followed the younger girl outside of the bar and down the road.

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously.

"Uh, I was thinking we could go to my place- that is if you want."

"That sounds wonderful. I am having a great time with you. It is nice to meet someone in this… brave new world."

Cosima smiled and the pair continued to walk, much of it in silence, to the girl's apartment. They stopped at the door, and the brunette fiddled with her key in the lock until the door swung open.

"Welcome to my crash pad," she said with another toothy grin. She held her hands out to motion for Delphine to walk in. As soon as she stepped through the door, the French woman took it all in. She could not have imagined a more suitable place for Cosima to live. She wandered over to the nearest bookshelf and ran her fingers along the spines of the books.

"Mmm… _The Selfish Gene_, _The Origin of Species, Silent Spring, God: The Failed Hypothesis…_ You have quite the collection of books," she said softly as though it were meant for no one but her.

"Yeah, um," Cosima said, "Science… it's my thing."

"I can tell, and you are very good at it."

"Thanks, um, do you mind if I go get changed into something more comfortable?"

"Not at all, go right ahead."

Cosima smiled and said, "Uh, I'll be right back, it- just one sec." She walked into her bedroom and pulled the curtains down to close it off. She noticed that they were still open a little in the middle, but she didn't bother. She was secretly hoping Delphine would peek, but she wasn't counting on it. So she pulled on a pair of fitted leggings and a tank top. She pulled the straps back slightly to make her cleavage more apparent then walked back out of her bedroom. Delphine was looking at the small trinkets on her bookshelves.

"Sorry!" she said, "I just wanted to- those clothes were not the most comfortable."

"Oh no, no, it is fine, I was just looking at your little, uh, what's the word? Knick-knacks."

Cosima smiled and said, "Yeah. That works."

"Are you enjoying my class?" Delphine asked curiously.

The brunette took a step toward her and nodded. "Yes, you're a very good teacher, but, um, don't you think we should talk about what this is really about?"

Delphine watched as the woman before her started taking careful steps toward her. She felt a gentle hand on her neck which she subconsciously leaned into. Before she knew it, Cosima's lips were against hers making soft, slow movements. She didn't blink, and her lips moved just slightly as she raised her hand to Cosima's face to break away from the kiss with a careful push.

"I, um-" Delphine started as the brunette's face flushed, and she brought her hands to her face.

"Oh God, Delphine. Did I- Did I make a huge mistake?" she said quickly through her embarrassment.

"No, no. Uh, I have to go."

Delphine quickly grabbed her coat and purse then walked rushed toward the door. She turned briefly and said, "It's okay. Bye."

"Delphine, just-" But she was already gone and the door was closed. Cosima placed her hands against the table next to her and closed her eyes. Her fingers curled against the surface of the table until they were in two fists. She lightly hit one fist against the table. "Dammit," she said just above the sound of a whisper. Her eyes pressed together harder, and she made her way to her bed feeling worse than ever.


	6. Merde

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. This chapter was both the easiest and hardest chapter to write. I hope you enjoy it. Also... my concussion appears to be gone! Yay! Hopefully, I will feel inspired and write the next one in a more timely manner. This chapter has been the longest I've written though. It's the reason the "M" rating is there.

* * *

The night came and went like a rusty clock gear grinding against the others. As she tossed and turned in her burgundy sheets, Cosima was filled with feelings of deep regret. She felt overwhelming guilt for putting Delphine in the position she did. She had totally misread the situation and not only that, but she potentially ruined their budding friendship. Everything that had been worked on during the start of school was just torn down in one ill-planted kiss. So when morning rose, the only thing for her to do was to get up with a groan and a stretch, then groggily make her way to the shower. As the burning water ran down her body, she started to feel the bad feelings wash off of her and down the drain. She was able to melt into the water instead of let herself be taken hold by her thoughts.

Exiting the shower, she dried off then went out to her bedroom in order to get dressed for the day. As she entered the room she spotted the screen on her phone lit up with a message displayed. She bit her lip when she noticed the text was from Delphine. "Can I come over to talk about your lab?" the message read. A smile tugged at her lips at the thought that their friendship wasn't completely destroyed. "Sure. :)" she replied. She hurriedly toweled off her hair and found a pair of tights and a dress to wear. There was a knock at the door before she knew it, so she quickly threw on a sweater. When she opened the door, she saw Delphine standing there with her classic smile.

"Delphine," she said with what enthusiasm she could muster. "So, apparently I have this thing for jumping to conclusions."

"It's really alright," she said with a soft smile as she took her bag off and started to remove her jacket.

"Oh, let me get that," Cosima said. She walked over and helped remove her jacket then placed it on her coat rack. Her hands never stopped moving. "I just want to make totally crazy science with you."

The blonde laughed quietly and said, "I brought your last lab report. I thought we could review it together."

She placed it down on the nearest table and started to point out her minor edits and suggestions for improvement. Cosima stood next to her and peered at the paper. She noticed the red writing telling her to be more concise in places.

"I def agree with that. I tend to go off and get caught up in science instead of focusing on the report and reporting the results themselves with only the necessary science, you know? Like the science is just, wow, it's so awesome," she faded off as she noticed Delphine wasn't paying that close attention. In fact, her eyes were closed and her bottom lip was pinned between her teeth. Cosima's lips parted to say her name, but before she had a chance Delphine was speaking.

"I can't stop thinking about that kiss," she said breathily. The brunette's heart leapt, and before she had a chance to think otherwise words come tumbling out of her mouth.

"Oh, like in… a not-bad way?" she asked with more hope than intended. Delphine took an abrupt step back and started to move her hands wildly with her words.

"Oh, like, I have never thought about bisexuality. I mean, for myself, you know? But, as a scientist, I know that sexuality is a- is a- is a spectrum. But, you know, social biases they codified attraction. It's contrary to the biological facts... you know?" Delphine bit her lip and looked at Cosima with bright eyes.

"That's… oddly romantic," she swallowed. "And totally encouraging."

Cosima peered up at the tall French woman. It was like every frame froze as Delphine was approached her with an outstretched arm. Her hand cupped the brunette's cheek, and her thumb grazed chapped lips. Cosima couldn't even think to move. Her brain was misfiring, and her breath was held. With an abrupt inhale, their lips met, and Delphine's other hand reached up to hold Cosima's face. The younger woman's lips were softer than she expected, yet there was a force behind them. The kiss was needy and demanding without being rough and too harsh like many men she had known. Without even thinking about it, Delphine settled her hips against the smaller woman, and her hands drifted down to rid the girl of her sweater. Her senses were on overload, and the wet, pulsing feeling between her legs was growing with every equally wet kiss. This time, her eyes were closed even as she tried to push Cosima back toward the bedroom. The brunette complied and stumbled backwards helplessly. A small whimper escaped at the feeling of the back of her legs hitting the bed. She broke the kiss and sat down on the bed. Delphine watched as her hands ran down to the hem of the blonde woman's skirt. Fingers moving softly across the lowest visible blouse button, she peered up at the taller woman. She wanted to be sure this is what both of them wanted. When the other woman nodded, she grasped the shirt and slowly pulled it out from her skirt. Every movement was deliberate and calculated as though this was just a dream, and Delphine might vanish in a cloud of fairy dust. But once her blouse was freed, shaking fingers undid each button then slid the cream shirt off of even creamier colored shoulders. Her eyes dilated as she took in the sight of her black, lace-trimmed bra. Delphine's fingers found dreadlocked hair and curiously played with one column of hair. This was enough to cause Cosima to break out of her trance, place her hands on the small of the woman's back, and pull her so she had to stand between her legs. She placed a soft kiss on the woman's stomach and started to try to find a zipper of some sort to rid her of the rest of her outfit. Delphine's head fell back until the tickle of Cosima's fingers stopped. She peered back down at the brunette to see her licking her lips in frustration. Delphine just smiled. She reached to her side and unzipped her skirt which promptly fell to the floor. With a coy smile, she stepped out of the garment and pushed it to the side with her boot.

Cosima felt a laugh swell in her throat that was caused by a mix of embarrassment and nervousness at her inability to unzip a skirt. She quickly swallowed it as she observed the woman before her. She was clad in only underwear and knee-high boots, and before the brunette could think Delphine was reaching to push the sitting woman's dress off her shoulders and down the rest of her body. The smaller woman scooted back on the bed to shimmy out of her dress while the other woman discarded her boots quickly and crawled onto the bed and hovered over her. Their lips met again for the first time in what felt like much, much too long to both of them. Hungry kisses overwhelmed the both, and Cosima arched up so her hips touched the other girl's hips. The moment Delphine felt the gentle pressure of the other girl's hips, her kisses slowed as her brain tried to formulate what to do next. The dreadlocked girl pulled away from the kiss and looked up at her friend and now lover.

"You okay?" she asked softly. The woman responded with a nod, but there was some obvious hesitation. Despite the throbbing between her legs, the blonde had no idea where to go from this moment. The undressing was almost done, and obviously they both wanted more. They kept pushing further, but she had no idea what the further entailed. Obviously, she knew the basic ideas and principles, but executing them while being on top—being in charge—was entirely different. As if reading her mind, the brunette shifted her own weight and gently pushed her onto her back. After removing her own leggings, she rested her elbows on each side of the woman's head and peered down at her with a comforting smile. Their bodies pressed together slowly and once against their lips met, but this kiss was slower and more deliberate. This kiss had a purpose, and that purpose was to lead from one point to the other. Cosima broke the kiss to reach back and unclasp her bra then discard it to some unknown location in the room. The French woman looked up at the woman's breasts and slowly moved her hand to the soft skin like many lovers had done to her before. Her finger tips lightly touched around Cosima's nipple in a hesitant, curious manner. The brunette leaned back down on her elbow and kissed Delphine passionately hoping to encourage the woman to continue. Her fingertips lightly rolling the puckered flesh, the blonde nipped at Cosima's bottom lip. The response was for her to move her thigh between the taller woman's legs. An audible gasp came out at the feel of pressure against her pulsing wetness. The feeling of moisture was enough for Cosima's hands to start wandering and remove the last bits of clothing from the woman beneath her. Her thigh once more found the heat between Delphine's legs, but this time she came in direct contact with the wetness she knew sat there. She groaned softly into their kisses then started to kiss along Delphine's jaw and neck. The French woman muttered softly in her native tongue then pushed back against the pressure between her legs. Along her collarbone, Cosima nipped softly then continued the downward path to one breast then the other. Her tongue expertly swirled around the peaks, and her mouth knew exactly when to suck. After a moment with each, she made her way to the valley under the woman's ribs. She placed a careful kiss above and below her bellybutton, then one at the top of her pubic bone. Delphine had the internal struggle of deciding whether to watch Cosima or get lost in her decisive touch. Without another second to think, her head threw back against the pillow as a kiss was placed on her sensitive bundle of nerves.

"Merde," she whispered after a soft whimper.

Cosima's tongue swirled around Delphine's opening and then along her folds. She licked slowly and deliberately. This was to get the woman to relax but not release, and so far it was working. She could feel the tension of the newness rush off of Delphine and soon could feel the tensing beneath her tongue. This wasn't what Cosima wanted though. She wanted the moment when Delphine came to be an intimate moment, at least during their first time. So she moved up the woman's body and hovered over her mouth. Cosima wasn't sure how the other would take being kissed afterwards, but that hesitation quickly diminished as the blonde captured the brunette's lips. The taste of her own arousal just made her hungrier for more, and she shifted trying to find some sort of friction. Thankfully, Cosima didn't hesitate to slide her hand back down to where her mouth had been moments before. Her finger tips touched lightly around the woman's wet opening, and she pulled back to watch Delphine as two of her fingers slowly slipped inside. A soundless gasp and an arch of her back showed her want and need. Cosima felt as the woman's walls adjusted and shifted around the new intrusion. Once settled, she slowly moved her fingers in and out. Little sounds and gasps of pleasure escaped the woman's mouth as they found a good pace. She gazed down at Delphine then kissed along her jaw. The moment felt a little too intimate for the result of their second kiss, but the intimacy wrapped around them like a blanket. As the woman's walls started to tighten, Cosima began curling her fingers with each pull out. And soon Delphine's soft gasps of pleasure became whimpers of delight while riding out her high.

Cosima slowly withdrew her fingers and placed them in her mouth to savor a last taste. Then she leaned back down and softly kissed her lover's still gasping mouth. Delphine smiled up at the brunette. Once she got the strength, she rolled them over so Cosima was on the bottom. The taller woman gazed down at the body beneath her. There was a certain sensuality to her body, even as she lay still, but the stillness didn't last long. Soon her body subtly arched and shifted from side to side. Delphine took this as an indication to run her hands up and down the woman's sides. She bit her tongue as though holding in a laugh at the ticklish feeling, but when the touches skimmed the top of her underwear her hips pushed up. A smile crept over Delphine's features as she lowered the underwear and removed it. She started to kiss Cosima again with a passion that could only be caused by a turbulent mix of nerves and desires. Her hand trailed back up her lover's thigh to be met with wet heat. The first touch was electric for both of them. For Delphine it was the start of a new kind of exploration, and for Cosima it was the firing off of her nerves shooting straight through her body. Her fingers worked curiously over the freshly exposed skin as the kisses became more aggressive and messy. She parted her folds and ran her two fingers slowly across her opening before they found their way inside while the kisses moved down to Cosima's neck. Sucking lightly, a panting gasp encouraged Delphine's fingers to start moving. In. Out. In. Curl. Out. The pace was set slow at first, but almost as if going by their own accord it became painstakingly fast. The gasps became grunts of painful arousal, and almost too quickly Cosima found herself falling off the edge. Delphine withdrew her fingers and discretely wiped them on her thigh then raised her hands up to hold the brunette's head. She ran her fingers lightly over the other girl's cheeks then kissed her once more before falling to her side and nestling in the woman's arms.


End file.
